This invention relates to a device for the transportation of pets, such as cats and small dogs, in vehicles. More particularly, it relates to an open container in which a pet may be transported which precludes direct contact of the pet with the car seat, yet permits some mobility and substantial comfort for the pet.
The transportation of small animals in vehicles poses certain problems different from those encountered by the maintenance of pets in the home. Frequently, pet owners will desire to have small pets accompany them on car trips, but have difficulty maintaining the pets under adequate control in the vehicle. Pets will frequently become restless or excitable in a car, and may occasionaly become ill. While most pet owners would prefer not to completely restrain the animal from movement, permitting the pet to roam freely within the vehicle may be distracting and even dangerous to the driver. Accordingly, a number of different restraining devices have been developed which permit a certain amount of movement within the car while still restraining the extent of such movement.
Devices used to restrain animals in a vehicle have generally been of two types. First, safety harnesses have been developed which secure the dog directly to a car seat; these harnesses generally seem more useful for larger animals. For example, Dishart, U.S. Pat. No. 3,310,034, Longshore et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,948,222, and Friedman, U.S. Pat. No. 4,324,204, show strap-type harnesses which are secured around the dog and which fasten directly to the seat, either by means of straps, ropes, or clip fasteners. These harness mechanisms have a disadvantage of permitting the pet to sit directly on the car seat, thereby exposing the possibility of the seat covering becoming soiled or scratched. A second type of carrier for pets is a basket-type carrier which hangs over the seat back and which is useful for transporting either a pet or a child. The Dishart, U.S. Pat. No. 3,310,034, also discloses a basket-type device in which a pet may be restrained without contacting the seat cover. Other seat mountable pet or child supports are disclosed in Love, U.S. Pat. No. 2,499,103, Russo, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 245,716, Gatling, U.S. Pat. No. 1,435,115, Schiffman, U.S. Pat. No. 2,869,144, and Guillot-Munoz, U.S. Pat. No. 4,010,880. These latter patents all show wall containers having means for fastening the containers to a seat back. The Schiffman patent discloses a padded crib having hinged sides, and the Guillot-Munoz patent discloses a basket having a restraining rope which encircles the pet and attaches to the basket to prevent the pet from leaving the basket.
The present invention provides a pet restraining seat which provides a comfortable, adjustable harness which is fastened to the pet seat yet which provides the ability for the pet to move around within the enclosure. The pet seat is also provided with an adjustable front portion which may be selectively placed in a plurality of configurations to permit the pet to lie down or assume various sitting or resting positions depending upon the preference of the pet or the owner.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a car seat for small pets which precludes contact of the pet with the seat-covering fabric. It is another object of the invention to provide a pet seat which is adjustable to fit virtually any vehicle seat back, and which fastens securely thereto. It is another object of the invention to provide a pet seat having a box-like shape and having a forward wall which is hinged and which has stop means to selectively set the attitude of the front wall into a variety of positions. These and other objects of the invention will be apparent to one skilled in the art from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof.